Painful reality
by In-My-Head-749
Summary: Based on the spoilers about what will be happening to Carter. Set when Carla finds out about it. If you want to avoid spoilers don't read. With that said, please read, I'll love you forever :)
1. Chapter 1

**So, this is set on the horrible new spoilers concerning Carter. I can't believe it's actually happening but the good thing is that we will hopefully see a lot of amazing acting and stuff. Anyways, I hope you enjoy it... :)**

Painful reality

"Carla, please, I'm sorry." Peter said quietly.

"Sorry?" Carla had her back to Peter, she was trying to compose herself, she couldn't cry, not after what she had just seen, she wouldn't.

"Yes, I mean it, I promise, I didn't mean to, I-" Peter shut up as Carla interrupted him.

"Sorry?" She repeated, as if she couldn't get her head round what he was saying, "You're sorry. You're sorry!" Carla screamed, spinning round so she was facing her fiancee, ex fiancee now anyway.

Peter just hung his head low, when Carla had walked in to find Tina in their bed, he knew how much that must've hurt her, he couldn't belive that he had doen it. He didn't understand what had been going through his head. Why had he decided to do this, he knew that it was going to hurt Carla. He loved Carla. He knew that now, he loved her so much. Tina was a mistake, a distraction from everything else in his life, a distraction from the fact that he was totally useless, a distraction from Rob, a distraction from the booze.

"What are you sorry for Peter, sleeping with Tina in our bed, sleeping with a girl half your age in our bed, or being caught." Carla spat, an involuntary tear falling out of her eye.

"Both, I promise baby-"

"Don't call me that!" Carla interrupted, she couldn't bare listening to the sound of his voice now, let alone him calling her baby.

"I promise, I never meant to hurt you, I, I don't know why I did it. I love you Carla, I promise, I do." Peter just hoped she would hear the sincerity in his voice, he had to belive her, he didn't know what he would do without her.

"No Peter, if you loved me, you would never have done any of this, you wouldn't have spent weeks sleeping with another woman. You call that love?" Carla retorted bitterly. Why did Peter have to do this to her, why did he have to humiliate her like this. She would have been able to cope if he had told her he didn't want to marry her, somehow, but she would. But this. This!

When she had walked into her bedroom to see Tina and Peter in the bed, she felt like she had been slapped in the face, no it was worse than that, she felt like her heart had been ripped out of her chest and torn in two right in front of her, then stamped on and trodden into the ground until it was in tatters all around her, that's what it had felt like.

She hadn't been able to breathe, she had ran out of the flat and just sat on a bench in the park with a bottle of vodka, she had only had a few sips when Peter had found her and persuaded her to come home so they could talk, but now she was here she was wishing she had stayed there and downed the whole bottle of bitter liquid.

"I'm sorry." Peter repeated, he couldn't say anything else, it was all he could say, sorry.

"Well sorry doesn't cut it." Carla spat before walking into the bedroom, trying to keep her eyes off the bed, the sheets were still messed up from Peter and Tina's rush to get out earlier. She felt sick even thinking about it.

She grabbed a bag and started chucking her clothes into it, not caring if it was in a scrumpled mess, she just needed to get out.

Peter followed her in and felt his heart drop as he saw her packing, he had been hoping that they could somehow avoid this, that she would stay, but what could he do. "Carla, please don't go, what about the wedding?"

By now Carla was in the hall with her hastily packed bag, she didn't know where she was going, she just needed to get away. She took a deep breath before replying, "What wedding?"

"Carla, please, I love you, don't do this, please." Peter was begging now, tears were falling freely down both of their faces.

"What?" Carla "You really expected me to still get married to you after this! After you had an affair?"

"No, I mean, just please don't go Carla, I need you." Peter begged terafully.

Carla just kept walking, when she was by the door she placed her bags down and pulled the engagement ring off her finger. She carefully placed it on the table before picking up her bag and walking out of the door.

All Peter could do was stare at the empty space with tears running down his face. He couldn't believe it, Carla was gone, but it was the painful reality, she had left and it was all his fault.

* * *

Carla was sat on a bench, again. The cold night air was biting at her skin but she didn't care. She had finally stopped crying but she knew that there would be mascara stains all over her face but she didn't care, what was the point in caring.

She had no idea where to go, Michelle wouldn't want her. She had told Carla something was going on between Peter and Tina but she had been vile in return, and it had ended in Michelle leaving, her last words being 'Don't come crying to me when you realise I'm right,' so that made sure Michelle was not an option.

Maria's was full, with Marcus and Liam, she couldn't ruin their family set up again, could she? Carla realised she didn't really have many friends on the street, and it hurt, not having anyone to turn to when you needed help most.

Carla was so deep in her thoughts she didn't realise someone came and sat down beside her until a familiar voice uttered the words, "Ms Connor?"

"Hayley." Carla breathed, she wouldn't have wanted anyone else, Hayley had helped with so much, but now, she was ill, she was dying, and Carla had been there for her for once.

"What's wrong?" Hayley asked softly.

Carla looked at her friend, she looked weaker than before, but she was still had that strong expression on her face, she was still Hayley. "Peter." She finally answered.

"What's he done?" Hayley continued. She hated seeing Carla upset, she always had but recently their friendship had grown even stronger, and she hated seeing her friends upset.

"Tina." Carla simply stated, "He did Tina."

"Oh, Carla!" Hayley gasped as fresh tears rolled out of Carla's eyes. "Come here." Hayley pulled Carla into a hug and had to stop her own tears falling at the sight of Carla sobbing into her chest.

"I'm sorry." Carla eventually sniffled, wiping at her eyes.

"Don't be silly." Hayley replied before glancing at Carla's bag. "Where are you going?" She asked the younger woman.

"I'm not sure yet," Carla answered, shrugging her shoulders as she did so, "I'll find somehwere."

"There's no need." Hayley replied, standing up and reaching her hand out to Carla's.

"What?" Carla asked, confusion plastered all over her face as she grabbed Hayley's hand and pulled herself up to stand next to her.

"You're coming to stay with me." Hayley answered with a smile on her face.

"What? No! You don't have to!" Carla exclaimed, she didn't want to intrued on Hayley's life, she had probably got in the way too much all ready. Hayley was just a really nice person, that's why she was offering Carla a place to stay.

"Don't be silly, I want to, now come on before you die of cold." Hayley ordered, smiling as Carla picked up her bag and started walking towards Roy's Rolls. Hayley grabbed Carla's hand as they made their way through the door, "You'll be fine here, I promise."

**So, I'm not sure about the ending and I know I stole the whole 'He did Tina' thing from Emmerdale but I was writing and I had to put it in.**

**Anyways**

**Please review thanks :)**


	2. Thoughts

**So, I'm carrying on with this because you asked me too, and I've got some stuff planned out. I don't think this story is going to be too long, 10 chapters at the most unless I carry on a lot more which I doubt but who knows...**

**Anyway, thanks for the reviews and I hope you enjoy this chapter :) :P**

Thoughts

Carla was laying in the spare bed at Hayley's, that had been Sylvia's she was guessing. Roy had looked a little bit more than shocked when Hayley had walked into the flat with a very distressed looking Carla.

Hayley hadn't told Roy what had happened, only that Carla was going to be staying with them for a while and not to ask any questions. Roy had looked rather put out and confused by this but had obliged and gone to make the bed while Hayley had told Carla to sit down and busied herself making some coffee's.

Hayley had been able to see that Carla didn't want to talk about it anymore, so instead she had started a conversation about how the factory was doing, which Carla was more than happy to tell her about.

After 10 minutes Roy had returned from the room muttering something about un-neccesary stress then picking up his laptop and sitting down on the other side of the room.

Carla had put her phone on silent when she had first seen Peter and, _her_, and had got the vodka. She pulled it out of her pocket now to see 22 texts and 14 missed calls, all from Peter.

With a sigh she turned her phone back off and continued the conversation with Hayley. After another half an hour it was 9 o'clock and Carla had been exhausted after the days events so she had showered then made her way to the rather comfy bed. But now she was here she just couldn't get to sleep, the days events were running around her head.

She felt the familiar ache in her chest as she remembered the sight that had welcomed her as she had entered her room. She still couldn't get her head round it, why would Peter want to do that to her. It just hurt so much.

Sleep had never really come easy to Carla, when she was younger, listening to the sounds of her estate, yelling, the screeching of tyres, sirens, gun shots, breaking glass. When she married Paul, she spent all night worrying about what to do when she saw his parents were coming round, or whether she was enough for him and if he was going to leave her.

When she was with Tony, she spent all night thinking about Liam, about what it would be like when they finally got together properly, and had their own house, because she really believed that was going to happen one day. She really believed that one evening she was going to sit Tony down and tell him, and Liam was going to do the same to Maria and then they were going to live happily ever after. But thinking back now it was clear that she should've known better, she should've known that nothing was ever going to be happy ever after in her life.

And then after the fire, she was unable to sleep with the burning images running round her mind, and Liam, as Trevor had said, the fact that she was still in love with a dead man. While with Frank she had always been worried about how fast they were going, about how she didn't really love him, about Peter.

And then after Frank had attacked her, the sleepless nights spent with the lights on, listening intently and jumping at every sound, terrified that he was going to come and get her.

Peter. She had slept well with Peter by her side. His form a comforting pillow for her to put all her trust in. She never thought she would have to worry about anything while she was with Peter. Maybe that's why she hadn't seen all the signs, 'going out with mates' and 'wanting to go shopping, alone'. How could she have been so stupid?

But here she was again, failing to sleep, the image of Peter and Tina still clear in her mind.

* * *

Peter stared at all the texts and calls he had sent Carla, not one of them being returned. He had no idea where she was, if she was all right, he had to know, he had to know she was safe.

He called again, throwing his phone at the wall in anger as it went straight to voicemail. His eyes trailed to the picture of him and Carla on the wall, they were smiling, they were so happy, so in love.

He picked it up and ran his finger along the outline of Carla's beautiful face.

"I'm so sorry baby," He whispered, knowing he was talking to himself, but not really caring, "Please come back, I love you, I'm sorry." Peter's voice cracked with emotion.

He carefully placed the photo back in it's rightful place and looked at the time, 10:57, he pulled hsi wallet and saw a twenty pound note. More than enough for what he wanted, needed.

No! He couldn't do that! If he started drinking again Carla would never take him back, he couldn't fall into his pit of self pity again. He had to face up to his mistakes and somehow show Carla that he was still the man she loved, and that he loved her more than anything else in the world.

* * *

Carla had somehow managed to fall into some kind of sleep, but it wasn't a good one. She was dreaming about them. Even her sub conscious didn't want her to forget.

She was dreaming about their lips colliding in a mix of passion and lust as they started to stumble towards the bedroom, her bedroom, their lips not coming apart for even a second.

She could see it all from the other side of the room, helpless as she watched them close the bedroom door behind them, unable to move, tears streaming down her face.

Carla opened her eyes in and took a deep breath in. She reached her hand up to her cheek to find out it was wet with her tears. She grabbed her phone to see that it was 4:23, and that she now had 27 texts and 18 missed calls. Why couldn't he get the message and realise she wasn't going to talk to him, she was never going to talk to him again.

She rolled over and stared into the darkness that surrounded her. At least it was a Saturday so the factory wouldn't be open. She used to spend her Saturday's laying in bed with Peter for the morning, joking about and having breakfast in bed. But now she was just alone, sad and alone.

And it was all Peter's fault.

She hated him, she hated him so much, but somehow, for some reason, she still loved him as well, and she didn't know why.

**So, please review, thanks :) :P**


	3. note

I have no way of updating at the moment :( I don't know when my next chance will be I just want to let you all know that I ahvent forgotten about these stories and when I get the chance I will be updating. Sorry again. :(


	4. Plan

**Sooo sorry I haven't updated but I'm back now, I hope you enjoy this chapter :) :P**

Plan

Michelle walked into Roy's Rolls expecting to just pick up a coffee then leave again. She wasn't expecting Hayley to tell her that Carla was upstairs and had split up with Peter. Michelle didn't need telling why, she knew it was because of Peter and Tina, well, what did Carla expect, she had warned her, it wasn't her fault that Carla had decided to start an argument about it.

But Michelle couldn't deny the fact that she felt incredibly sorry for her best friend, well, ex-best friend, well, she didn't really know what her and Carla's relationship status was now, but it was probably something like 'Friends that aren't talking but will make up anyway because they always do'.

Michelle didn't have to think about Hayley's offer to go up and see Carla much, she had to talk to her, she had to make sure she was all right, well, as all right as she could be considering the circumstances. Carla had loved Peter, Michelle knew that much, Carla had truly believed that he was her soulmate, and they would be together forever, but then he had gone and ruined all that.

* * *

Carla was curled up on the sofa, cup of coffee in hand and no make up on, Michelle could tell that she wasn't coping the second she saw her.

"Hi." Michelle was sure her voice betrayed the uncertainty of her thoughts but if Carla had realised, she didn't show it. She didn't even acknowledge Michelle's presence, just sat there, staring at the blank wall.

"Say it then." Carla didn't look at Michelle as she talked, just kept her gaze firmly fixated on the opposite wall.

"Say what?" Michelle questioned softly, still standing at the door looking across at her broken friend.

"I told you so." Carla spoke in monotone, but Michelle could still hear the pain and emotion in her voice, Michelle could see that all Carla wanted to do was cry, or drink so much she couldn't remember her own name. Either way, Carla was hurting, and she had to help.

"I don't blame you, you know," Michelle replied as she walked across the room and sat down next to Carla, "You loved him, you thought I was just trying to split you up."

"But you weren't," Carla sighed, "You were telling the truth and I repaid you by being a total bitch and ruining our friendship."

Michelle wrapped her arms around Carla's shoulders. "You didn't ruin our friendship Carla, we just fell out, god knows we've done it enough times, but our friendship, well, we can tear eachother down and insult eachother as much as we like, but at the end of the day, we'll still be best mates, we always were and always will be."

"Not like my love life then." Carla replied bitterly. She had felt so relieved about what Michelle had just said but she couldn't risk showing any emotion, otherwise everything she had bottled up inside of her would come rushing out, and that would not be a good thing.

* * *

"Peter, what's happened, has she left? What-" Peter put the phone down. Tina wouldn't stop calling him but he just couldn't be bothered to talk to her, he couldn't. He knew that Tina had been falling for him, and he had thought he was falling for her, until Carla had found out and he realised exactly what Tina had been to him, nothing, absolutely nothing. But him to her, he wasn't sure how much Tina had fallen for him, and he didn't want to hurt her, she was a nice girl, and it wasn't just her fault.

Peter rushed to the door at the sound of the buzzer "Carla?" He asked through the intercom.

"No, It's Hayley, can I come up?" Peter sighed as he heard the reply, he had been wishing so hard that Carla would come home, but obviously she wasn't.

"Sorry Hayley but Carla isn't in at the moment." Peter apologised.

"I know, it's you I want to talk to." Hayley replied.

"Oh, okay then, come up." Peter spoke, opening the door for her.

Hayley wasn't totally sure why he had come to talk to Peter, she just felt so protective of Carla, if that was the right word. They had been through so much together, and Carla had been a rock to her during her diagnosis, and she felt the need to return the favour. She wasn't sure what speaking to Peter would actually do, but it was sure to do something.

"Hi Hayley, what did you want to talk about?" Peter asked.

"I think you know what I want to talk about." Hayley answered, looking Peter in the eye.

"Sorry. but you've lost me." Peter said, although it was obvious to Hayley that he knew, he just didn't want to admit it.

"Carla's at mine." Hayley revealed.

"Oh." Was all Peter could say as his eyes dropped to the floor.

"Why did you do it?" Hayley asked.

"I don't know," Peter answered truthfully,"I just don't know."

"No, there has to be a reason Peter, you don't decide to cheat for no reason, do you love her?" Hayley continued.

"What? Of course I do, she's my finacee, or was my finacee, or, I don't know, I just want her back here Hayley." Peter was close to tears at the thought of Carla never coming back, she had to come back, didn't she?

"Well, if you want her back, and I'm not saying she will come back to you, but if you really want her back, you've got to prove to her you love her. And that doesn't mean follow her everywhere and annoy her at every opportunity. It means be nice, let her go on other dates, but just be there for her, you've got to be there for her whatever happens." Hayley turned round to walk out the flat.

"Is she all right?" Hayley turned her head as Peter asked the question.

"She's all right, as she can be, but she's confused, she doesn't understand Peter." Hayley left the flat at this point, leaving a heart broken Peter staring at the door considering everything she had just said.

* * *

Michelle and Carla had been chatting away for ages, catching up on everything they had missed when they hadn't been talking, but Michelle had to go and do a shift at the pub.

"Michelle," Carla started, "When's Tina's next shift at the pub?" She questioned with a thoughtful expression on her face.

"She wont have one, by the time I've finished with her." Michelle replied with her mouth set in a grim line.

"No, you're not dealing with it yet, when's her next shift?" Carla questioned again.

"Tonight, why?" Michelle answered.

"Because I've got a little plan." Carla answered with a bitchy smile on her face.

**Soo, please review thanks :) :P**


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